Raven gazed out of her dorm window, her sketchbook resting on her lap, the tip of her pencil idly tracing the outline of a half-formed image.
The world outside buzzed with life—the distant hum of conversations, laughter from passing students, and the faint echo of someone playing guitar on the quad. She sighed, her chest heavy with a sense of longing she couldn't quite place. Normally, she thrived in moments like this—surrounded by people, part of the energy that seemed to pulse through campus life. But lately, it felt as if she were on the outside, watching her life from a distance, detached and disinterested.
Art was the one thing that kept her grounded. She had been drawing since she could remember, ever since her mom had handed her a box of crayons to keep her entertained. What had started as a way to fill the long, lonely hours had grown into something much deeper—a way to express the dreams and feelings she couldn't put into words. It was why she'd chosen to study art in college, hoping to find herself through the creative process.
But lately, even that had failed her. Her sketches had become repetitive, and the strange, vivid dreams she had every night gnawed at her in ways she couldn't explain. She would wake up with her heart pounding, fragments of dream images slipping through her fingers like water. No matter how hard she tried to hold onto them, they were gone by the time she blinked her eyes open. The only thing that lingered was an overwhelming sense of loss, as if she were mourning something—or someone.
Raven shook her head, pulling herself from her thoughts. The sunlight that filtered through the window were both warm and cold, a reminder that life outside her mind kept moving forward, whether she was ready or not. She had assignments due, and she couldn't afford to fall behind.
Her phone buzzed beside her, pulling her attention away from her half-finished sketch. She glanced down at the screen. It was a text message from Jules, her best friend.
From: Julie
Heyy, u free tonight, right?
---
To: Julie
Depends. What's up?
---
From: Julie
You're my plus one at Blake's party at his place. Pls come with me. T.T
---
Raven's brow furrowed. Blake? She didn't know anyone by that name.
To: Julie
Who's that?
---
From: Julie
Blake Rivera??? dk him? If you don't, I'm unfriending you.
---
Raven rolled her eyes at the reply, though a small smile tugged at her lips. Typical Jules. As a journalism student, Jules seemed to know everyone worth knowing on campus. Her knack for charming people and her endless stream of connections made her both enviable and impossible to refuse.
She paused for a second. Thinking. Blake Rivera? Now that she think about it, the name sounded oddly familiar. She read it again, frowning. trying to place it. Then it hit her.
She gasped, eyes widening in realization.
To: Julie
No way. You're kidding, right?
---
From: Julie
Oh Rae. ur so cute.
---
Raven blinked at the screen. She couldn't believe what she was reading. Jules was always finding ways to get them into places they didn't belong, but this? A celebrity's party? It sounded so crazy.
Her phone buzzed again.
From: Julie
After you pick your jaw up off the floor, just be ready by 7. Dress code is black-tie. I'll swing by to pick u up.
---
Raven blinked, her mind still reeling.
To: Julie
How do you even know these people?
---
From: Julie
Magic. Pls say yes. I want you there. T.T
---
Raven bit her lip, staring out the window again. The idea of going out, of diving back into the social whirlwind, was... tempting. Maybe a night out would help shake off this strange feeling that had been haunting her for weeks. After all, it's been awhile since she last went out for a late-night party, And Jules will be there. She always managed to make everything more fun.
After a moment of hesitation, she stood up from her bed and typed a reply to Jules while walking towards her closet.
To: Julie
Fine.
---
Raven tossed her phone onto her bed and sighed. She rummaged through her closet, pulling out something that was just dressy enough for the party but still comfortable—a dark blue dress; simple but elegant, with a flowing skirt and a subtle shimmer that caught the light. It flattered her without being too flashy. After all, she wasn't looking to stand out in a crowd. Though Jules would probably find a way to make that happen regardless.
By the time Jules arrived at her dorm, Raven was ready—outfit on point, Her long, copper brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, her makeup light but enough to accentuate her soft features.
"Damn, girl!" Jules exclaimed, giving Raven an approving once-over. As usual, she looked stunning in a shimmering black gown that glinted in the dim corridor light.
Raven gave her a small smile. "You don't think it's too much?"
"Are you kidding? You look perfect!" Jules clutched her chest dramatically. "It's been forever since I've seen you all dressed up. I'm literally about to cry." she added, dabbing at imaginary tears.
Raven rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. "I swear, you're impossible."
Jules grinned, her energy infectious. "That's why you love me."
✦
"I still don't understand how you manage to know all these people. It's like you've got some secret catalog of celebrities or something." Raven said as they walked to Jules' car.
"I'm just charming, obviously," Jules replied, tossing her hair back with a playful grin. "Plus, journalism major, remember? Celebs love having media people around—it's all about the connections, Rae."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Connections or schmoozing?"
"Same thing," Jules quipped, flashing a wink before unlocking the car. "But let's just say I've mastered the art of both," she added with a grin as she slipped inside.
The ride to the party was filled with Jules excitedly chattering about who might be there. Raven half-listened, her mind wandering again to that strange sense of detachment. Lately, it felt like she was living two lives—the one everyone saw and the one that simmered beneath the surface, tied to fleeting dreams she couldn't quite remember when she woke up.
They pulled up to a large, old mansion, its architecture a beautiful blend of gothic and baroque styles. It had that hauntingly elegant feel, like something out of a movie, with towering spires and ivy crawling up the stone walls.
"Wow.." Raven muttered as they got out of the car.
"Right?" Jules grinned, tugging her toward the front entrance. "Blake has killer taste. I mean, look at this place. It's like a castle."
Inside, the party was already in full swing. People were dancing, mingling, and drinking under glittering chandeliers that seemed far too opulent for a casual birthday party. Raven did her best to enjoy herself, sipping on a drink while Jules flitted from one group to another, introducing her to people Raven had only seen on TV or social media.
"Jules," Raven said, gently tugging Jules' dress to get her attention. Her friend spun around to look at her. "Hmm?"
"I think I'm just going to hang back for a bit," Raven said, nodding toward a quieter corner. "My feet are killing me."
Jules glanced at her heels and winced, as if she's the one in pain. "Oh no. Okay. Call me if you need anything, okay?"
Raven nodded, watching as Jules dashed back into the crowd. She wandered toward the edge of the party, taking in the scene with a detached sense of amusement.
She'd hoped the party would distract her from the worries weighing her down, that the thrill of the celebration would wash away the unease she had been feeling lately. But as she stood there, the noise and laughter faded into a dull hum, and the anticipated joy never came. Instead, she was left with an unsettling realization: being in her element didn't guarantee happiness anymore.
After awhile, a gentle hand wrapped around her arm out of nowhere, making her flinch.
"Jesus!" she gasped, spinning around.
"Oops, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you." Jules chuckled, raising her hand to cover her mouth.
Raven exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest. "You scared the shit out of me!"
"I've been trying to call you!" Jules said, raising an eyebrow.
"Really?" Raven blinked, reaching for her sleek black handbag. She pulled out her phone and winced when she saw the three missed calls. "My bad," she said sheepishly. "It's on silent."
Jules sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Of course it is. Geez, Raven."
Raven gave her an apologetic smile, but before she could say anything, Jules waved it off with a smirk. "Anyway, wanna come with me to find the restroom? I gotta go so bad. This place is like a maze!"
"Sure," Raven said, slipping her phone back into her bag.
As they walked through the hallways, Jules rambled on about all the famous people she had met that night. She mentioned influencers, some famous actors, even some fashion designers. Normally, Raven would have hung onto every word, but tonight, her focus was elsewhere. As they strolled through the mansion, the beauty of the walls and the intricate design of the hallways consumed her attention.
The artist in her came alive. Every corner of the mansion seemed to have a story, every wall a masterpiece of its own. Raven ran her fingers lightly along the gilded edges of a frame, admiring the way the light played off the textured wallpaper. Rich patterns and designs covered the surfaces, merging old-world charm with a gothic grandeur she'd only seen in books. The details—the arches, the carvings—tugged at something deep within her. For the first time that night, she forgot about her worries, about feeling like an outsider. She felt...at peace, if only for a moment.
"God, this place is incredible," she murmured, half to herself.
Jules continued talking, but Raven wasn't listening. She was too caught up in the beauty around her, overwhelmed by the craftsmanship that must have gone into building a place like this. Every corner, every detail was art, a form of expression she could understand on a soul-deep level.
They turned a corner, and Jules spotted the restroom. "I'll be quick, I swear. Wait here, okay?"
Raven nodded, barely acknowledging her as Jules slipped into the restroom. She lingered outside the door, still lost in thought, running her fingers along the walls and admiring the ornate sconces hanging from them.
But as the seconds dragged on, her fascination began to wane. Don't get her wrong—this place was enchanting, and she could stare at it forever. But Jules was taking an eternity in there, and even the allure of the mansion couldn't hold her interest for that long. With a sigh, Raven pulled out her phone, hoping to kill some time—only to be met with the frustrating "No Signal" notification.
"Great." She said to herself.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught something strange—Further down the corridor, dimly lit by flickering sconces, was a hallway she hadn't noticed before. It wasn't exactly part of the party, that was for sure. It had an eerie quietness to it, like it belonged in another world entirely.
She stared at the corridor for a few seconds, something about it tugging at her insides.
It felt... inviting.
"Jules? You almost done in there?" she called, knocking lightly on the restroom door.
"I'm almost finished!" Jules responded.
Raven glanced back at the corridor. It was ridiculous—she knew that—but she felt pulled towards it, almost against her will.
"I'll be right back," she muttered.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she moved away from the restroom, further from the lively chatter and music. With every step, the noise from the party faded, and an odd silence settled around her, thick and almost tangible.
By the time she reached the end of the corridor, she realized she was completely lost. No more sounds of laughter or music. Nothing. It was like she had crossed into an entirely different space, separated from the lively mansion behind her.
"Shit. I must've taken a wrong turn," Raven muttered under her breath. Her stomach flipped with unease. She fumbled in her bag for her phone, intending to call Jules, but then she stopped.
There, at the end of the corridor, something caught her eye—a painting.
At first glance, it didn't seem all that special. Just a large, ornate canvas framed in gold. But something about it was...off. The image depicted a landscape that was simultaneously breathtaking and eerie—misty mountains stretching beneath a swirling, blood-red sky. In the distance loomed a massive castle, its towers clawing at the heavens. It felt… wrong, as if the scene itself was alive, shifting in ways too subtle to notice at first. The longer she stared, the more it seemed to pulse with a dark, magnetic energy.
Without thinking, Raven moved closer. Her heart began to beat faster, though she wasn't sure why.
"God, what is this place?" she whispered to herself. She was fully aware she shouldn't be here, that she should turn back and find Jules, but her legs wouldn't stop moving.
She stood before the painting, breathless. Her fingers twitched as if yearning to touch it. A cold chill crawled up her spine, but she couldn't stop herself. Slowly, she lifted her hand, inching closer to the canvas.
"Don't be an idiot, Raven..." she warned herself, But it was too late. Her fingertips brushed the surface.
And everything shifted.
The air seemed to vibrate, humming with a low, ominous sound. Raven's vision blurred, the world around her warping. She staggered backward, but it was too late. A strange, gravity-defying pull yanked at her, and the floor beneath her vanished. She wasn't falling, not physically, but it felt as though the very fabric of reality was collapsing around her.
"What the fu—!"
Her words were cut off as darkness swallowed her whole.
✦
Raven woke up with a jolt, her hands trembling and her chest heaving. She gasped, but the sound was not her own. As her senses came to life, she realized she was standing before a door, in the middle of a dimly lit hallway—an unfamiliar hallway filled with intricate carvings and a palpable magic in the air. Confusion engulfed her as she looked around, taking in the surroundings that felt both familiar and foreign.
"What.." Her heart stopped when she heard her own voice whisper, "What's happening...?"
Except, it wasn't her voice. Not exactly. It sounded like her—same tone, same pitch—but there was something off. It echoed weirdly, like it was bouncing around inside her head, as though the words weren't fully hers.
Raven stumbled backwards, catching her reflection in a nearby pane of glass, lit only by the eerie glow of moonlight streaming through the half opened window.
"The hell...?"
The reflection staring back at her was not her own.
Panic flooded her chest as she took in the sight of the girl in the glass. She looked...similar to Raven, but with subtle differences—her features softer, her hair a shade darker. And her eyes...they were Raven's eyes, but somehow more intense, more otherworldly.
Raven backed away from the glass, her breathing shallow. "No, no, no. This is not happening."
Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what had just happened. Was she dreaming? Did she drink something weird at the party? Had she been drugged?
Suddenly, her head whipped toward a door nearby, the one she had been standing in front of when she woke up. The heavy wooden door creaked ominously in the silence.
She didn't know where she was or why she was here, but she knew one thing—Whatever was behind that door, she wanted no part of it.
"Fuck this," Raven whispered and turned to run.
Her legs carried her swiftly down the dark, winding corridors of what appeared to be some kind of academy. Every instinct screamed at her to get out, to find somewhere safe, but nothing was familiar. Except—oddly enough—she knew exactly where to go.
She followed the paths, almost on autopilot, her body moving with a muscle memory that didn't belong to her. It terrified her how naturally her feet found their way through the dark halls. And then, as if on cue, she skidded to a halt before a small door. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the handle, the knowledge of what lay beyond somehow already planted in her mind. This door led outside—away from this place.
But how did she know that?
"This isn't real," she told herself again, her voice shaky. She had to wake up. She had to figure out what was going on.
But deep down, Raven knew. This was real. Whatever had just happened to her, whatever had replaced her reflection in that glass—this wasn't some hallucination. She was no longer Raven Liu. She was someone else entirely.